Former FIFA referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco has been awarded the 2019 Gold Medal for Sports Merit as “the highest representative of refereeing in our community and one of our greatest exponents at national and international level, with an impeccable and exemplary career”.
Undiano Mallenco has been a football referee for 30 years, from the 1989/90 season to this year, 19 of them in the First Division, and a FIFA referee since 2004. In addition, he established three records in his career: the most matches (348) in Primera Division, the youngest referee (26) to ascend to First Division, and the most appointments to “El Clasico” Real Madrid - FC Barcelona. He was also a Spanish representative at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he refereed three games. Undiano also refereed semi-finals and finals in several UEFA and FIFA competitions, Champions League and Europa League matches, as well as three Copa del Rey finals and three Spanish Super Cups.
